The Modern Game
by Robb Stark of House Fanfiction
Summary: This is my twist on a modern version of Game of Thrones. And to be clear, there won't be Game of Thrones' struggle for power, this is more of a family-type story. Please read and review!


**H** **ello, this is my first shot at fanfiction and, as you'll notice, I've changed a few things up, to better suit my story. Firstly, I'm going to stray away from the GRRM usual, and try to make this a generally happy story. This is not to say my adaptations of GRRM's characters will puke rainbows and radiate sunshine, there will be problems, but this isn't going to become very dark. Secondly, no incest or crazy Cersei, and I think I'll let Jamie keep his hand. Finally, I threw everyone's ages around, for fun, I guess. And just a warning, I may alternate in between mum and mom. On that note, I do hope anyone reading this enjoys it. In the first bit of this chapter I aim to situate my story's background. Please leave a review!**

The Starks were one of the wealthier families in the their relative area. They had the ancient family mansion, Winterfell, which resides in its hometown of Winter City. They also had a small beach house out past the reach, on a small island not too far from the Arbor, as most of the wealthy families did, and they even had a mansion next to that of the Baratheons, mainly because the head of the Baratheon Family was Ned's childhood best friend.

Ned Stark and his wife, Catelyn, have six children of their own. The opposite-looking twins, Robb and Jon, Robb taking after their mother and Jon after their father. Next, Eddard and Catelyn have their eldest daughter, Sansa, an incarnation of her mother, and then their only other daughter, Arya, a true Stark to the core. And then there were the youngest boys, Bran and Rickon, the latter being the family baby, although he wasn't much younger than the rest. In fact, rickon was just a year younger than Bran.

In Addition to their own kids, the Starks took care of Robb's Best Friend, Theon Greyjoy, and his twin sister Asha, who at times goes by her middle name, Yara. When the two sets of twins were eight, the Greyjoy parents and the two older brothers died in plane crash returning from their father's business trip. At the time Theon and Robb were having a sleepover, because Theon didn't want to fly, and Asha was staying with their maternal uncle, Rodrik Harlaw. Rodrik would have taken in the twins, but his wife suffered a stroke not long before and she needed his full attention. Since he couldn't care for them like they needed, he made sure they found a good home. Thanks to a persuasive eight year old Robb, they found a great home with one of their father's business friends, more like rivals, the Starks. The kids didn't understand business and its rivalries though, so friends it was.

The Starks of old, around five hundred years ago, took a direwolf for their family sigil. Therefore, once all his children were of a decent age, Ned went out and bought eight wolf-dog pups, going so far as to include the Greyjoys as his children. Which the head Stark thought nothing of, as he felt the two were his children in a way. However Theon and Asha had never had a better day, not even one of the Christmases with the Starks could compare. At the time, the four twins were seventeen, Sansa was sixteen, Arya fifteen, Bran was fourteen, and Rickon was thirteen. Ned and Catelyn were both thirty-eight at the time.

For some naming their new companions was a piece of cake, for others, namely Bran, it was quite a challenge. Robb decided his little fuzz ball would be named Grey Wind, while Jon, having the only white dog, picked the fitting title Ghost. Sansa deemed her pup Lady, Arya fancied the name Nymeria, and Rickon simply went with Shaggydog. Theon named his Kraken, and Asha, with her love of the ocean, decided to call her dog Surf. After a few weeks Bran decided upon the name Summer.

At first, as Catelyn had pointed out, the immediate addition of eight wolf hybrids would quite a bit to handle. However, the Stark kids decided show their mother that they could handle whatever was thrown at them. And they indeed rose to the challenge, the oldest four even pooled some money, albeit it was birthday and Christmas money, together to buy all eight collars, lots of toys, and they even bought the food for the first two months. However, Ned then told them that he'd pay for it from then on, to which they only feebly protested. And then time went on.

*

 ** _3 years after the Stark children recieved their wolves_**

"WHY? Daaaaaaad, we don't want to go," Sansa cried out semi-dramatically. From Arya down to Rickon came whines of similar sorts, all backing up Sansa on the matter.

"Now hush, we'll all get to be together down in King's Landing. We will even get to see the Baratheons again," Catelyn protested her children's complaints with what she thought would be reassuring.

"We don't care about that! King's Landing is sooooooo far away!" Again Sansa spoke with, what her and her siblings thought to be, reason. "Besides Mom, you just want to see Aunt Cersei again, that way you have a mom friend."

"Okay now, enough. We are going to King's Landing for business, and to see all the twins while they are down there attending University. Anyways, it's just for the summer, just three months. Sansa dear, you need to think about college, you've already enjoyed your year away from school. Arya, you are almost a high school graduate, college is looming over your head as well. And I know you aren't planning on waiting a year, how did you put it? Ah, yes, 'Why wait to finish getting through hell by walking, when you can sprint your way out?.' Bran you'll actually get to see Tommen in person, don't even try to tell me that you don't like him, you're always on Skype with him. Rickon, do you even really care? You have fun everywhere you go," Ned pointed out the factors to all his present children.

Ten seconds passed in silence, next it was twenty, but before even half a minute passed all four of the Stark children whined, "But we don't wanna!"

"Fine, but your mother and I have to go, so… I guess your Aunt Lysa and cousin Robin can just come stay with you," Ned said with a slight smirk. At the beginning of his sentence his children's' eyes lit up, however, at the end there was just temporary fear, leaving absolutely no room for the former glow.

This time, he only had to wait on the words to register before there came a unanimous, "Please gods no, we'll go!"

*

Two weeks later the Stark were flying down to King's Landing, a three and a half hour flight. Their private plane filled to the brim with all of their luggage, especially Sansa's. Sansa believed that three months offered room for anything, ergo she subsequently thought she should be able to dress for anything. However her parents decided there would be no harm in humoring her, so she brought it all.

The rest of the Starks brought a decent amount of luggage, however they none found it to be necessary to bring their whole wardrobes.

Ned sat on one of the fancy plane couches, with Catelyn by his side, reading a newspaper. Catelyn was skimming through a fashion magazine that she had borrowed from Sansa's stash, just passing the time until they arrived at their destination. The younger generation all laid about playing on this device and that. Arya was reading old texts in her boredom, while Sansa checked her social media. Being rich had its perks, a plane, especially a plane with WiFi. Bran had a full set up complete with his cell phone, his tablet, and even his laptop, he was playing a first person shooter on his computer, an app game on his tablet, and on his phone he alternated between texting someone and having up his Pandora app. And Rickon was just looking at dog pictures, not that he would let anyone know that he was a major 'softie.'

Next thing everyone new, they were making a slow, but steady, descent. Ned face practically burst into a humongous grin, ear to ear didn't begin to describe the smile on his face. "So, dad, we are staying right next to the Baratheons, right?" Bran questioned as he put away all of his devices.

"What? NEXT DOOR," Arya protested loudly.

"Yes, you dummy, dad owns a house next to the Baratheons! I swear I'm the only one who listens," Bran responded to his sister. "So is that where the others are really staying? It would make sense, that way they didn't have to stay in dorms. Is it, Dad?"

"Fifty points for Ravenclaw," was all Ned said. "Despite his seemingly unusual response, for others anyways, they all knew that Bran was the only Ravenclaw in the family other than Jon, so they presumed that he correctly guessed the family's living situation. "Oh, and yes, that is where the other have been staying while attending university."

"Well, at least Sansa can make out with Joffrey again," Rickon called out, to everyone's amusement except Catelyn's and Sansa's. His outburst made everyone move on from the subject of the house and the sets of twins living in it.

"O. M. G. SHUT UP RICKON! We were like eleven!" Sansa protested her brother's statement as most of her family laughed.

"And OMG his tongue, was like, down your throat," Arya teased to infuriate her sister, it appeared to work.

"MUM MAKE THEM STOOOOOP!" Sansa once again cried out in embarrassment. She was the color of a tomato, red as could be, and almost everyone was loving it. Almost.

"Now, Arya, Rickon," Catelyn's sharp voice reprimanded. "Stop this nonsense about Sansa and Joffrey."

"Fine." And that was the end of that, for the time being. Irregardless, the plane had finally stopped moving, finally finishing the decent.

"Okay kids, get your stuff and hurry along, I'm sure Robert and Cersei are waiting on us." Ned told his children, convincing some, namely Sansa and Bran, to move much faster, while the remaining others just went about their business.

*

Fifteen Minutes later and the Starks were moving to the front entrance to the airport. As the foremost children, the two girls, burst through the door, the saw a large man, with black hair streaked grey, holding a sign that read "Frozen Starks." The man had to stand at least six foot four, maybe even six foot six. He had a muscular frame, although it had dwindled from what once must have been a sight to behold. Even so, the next most interesting thing about him, wasn't even him. To his right stood a stunning woman, with gold-blonde hair and a perfect figure, and enrapturing eyes like two perfect emeralds.

"CERSEI?!" Sansa shrieked and then squealed while she ran over to greet the woman, flat out ignoring Robert. However Arya made up for it and briskly walked over before wrapping the large man in a hug.

"How is our little wolf," Robert asked using the nickname that could apply for any of the Starks, but he was obviously referring to Arya at the current moment.

"Well, a quick shower and she'll be golden. How is the kingly stag," Arya inquired as Cersei and Sansa chatted each other in the background.

"Wonderful, especially now!" Robert laughed at this, which confused Arya, but she felt him pull away from the exceptionally long hug and begin to sprint over behind Arya. Arya turned in time to see the Baratheon pull her father into, in her mind, a bone crushing hug. Bran and rickon stood by their mother, just waiting for the adults to take interest in them.

After a greeting she couldn't hear, Robert moved to welcome the other Starks. Behind her Sansa and Cersei finished speaking, and the latter came to greet Arya.

"How have you been my dear?" Cersei's angelic voice called out her question.

"Well enough. How have you and everyone been, it's been what? Almost eight years," Arya replied to the older woman.

"Surely so, because the Arya Stark I remember had short hair and reminded me of a little tree branch. An adorable tree branch at that," Cersei both teased and fondly remembered. "Come, we must be on our way. We don't want it dark when we go back, we want you all to find some familiar sights, that way you can only get so lost."

With that everyone packed into the two black SUV's that the Baratheons had brought. Robert drove the first, and Ned took over the second one, not allowing Cersei to drive. So after complimenting his kindness, Cersei went up to ride with her husband.

King's Landing was a big city, huge in fact. The streets were lined with all kinds of shops and restaurants. The most eye catching building was Red Keep University, where the eldest two Starks attended college, along with the Greyjoys. As they went by Arya couldn't help but stare, that is where her father wanted her and Sansa to attend. She honestly feared that she'd get lost, as the place was ridiculously massive, but she had looked it up and they offered almost every class one could even imagine.

Despite its large size, they were soon passing it and moving to where she assumed to two homes were located. And, even though it wasn't hard to, she had guessed correctly. No more than ten minutes after passing the university Robert turned right ahead of them into the driveway of an enormous house, her father drove on further, and turned down the next driveway. Arya was astounded by the sheer size of the two houses, even though Winterfell was the same size, if not bigger than this Stark home. However she had expected just an average house to stay in, not another mansion. She quickly took in the three story building, and as her eyes wondered she saw the garage. The garage sat at the end of the driveway with five large two car doors, which intrigued Arya to no end.

"Arya!" Arya was startled to see Sansa staring at her expectantly

"Ummmm, yeah?"

"Come on we're here. I can't wait to plop into bed!" Sansa sighed at the thought of sleep, much to Arya's confusion.

"Are you tired?! I didn't know you ever got tired," Arya retorted while yawning.

"Shut it and let's go find rooms!" With that Sansa practically dragged her sister into the house. On their way up to the third floor Arya saw the most beautiful kitchen of her life. Immediately she knew that she and Sansa would have to make breakfast together in the morning. To her surprise, Arya found she wouldn't actually dread that.

Arya was disgruntled with having to take all the steps at 9:30 at night, but she'd have to get used to it. Once they were at the top, she and Sansa could see six doors, three on either side of the long middle hallway. Two of them on opposite sides on either end were closer to their neighbors than the rest, leaving the girls to assume that they were bathrooms. Checking the one by them, Arya found a shower and bathtub, along with a double sink and toilet. Next, she and Sansa went over to open the door almost opposite of the bathroom, and they noticed the light was on. Remembering the conversation from the plane, Arya knocked lightly, but she got no response. Sansa apparently decided against waiting and flung the door open.

Sansa shrieked at what she saw in the room, and Arya was a bit surprised. Inside on the room's only bed, sat Robb and Asha making out.


End file.
